Such a computer is known from Siemens Catalog IC 10, SICOMP Industrial Computer, 3/95 edition, describes a conventional computer where DMA request signals generated by plug-in functional units, e.g., in the form of data transmission modules, can be sent to a DMA controller of a motherboard over DMA request lines. To guarantee that the functional units can send their DMA request signals to the DMA controller over various DMA request lines (DMA channels), setting means in the form of coding switches are provided on these functional units. If the same DMA request line is inadvertently selected on two functional units for transmission of their DMA request signals, malfunctions occur in the computer because the DMA controller cannot recognize which functional unit has transmitted the DMA request signal.